50mm

1. The fact that Terrorism has no fixed meaning does not mean it is inconsequential. The opposite is true. Terrorism is one of the most consequential words in our political lexicon. The term designates Supreme, Unmitigated Evil. Once someone is successfully branded a Terrorist, it means that anything and everything can and should be done to them without constraints (e.g., sure, I don’t love the idea that the President — in secret and with no due process – can target my fellow citizens for assassination, but I support its being done to Anwar Awlaki because he’s a Terrorist; I don’t like detention without trial but I can live with it as it’s being used to imprison Terrorists; it’s terrible when we slaughter children with drones but it has to be done to get the Terrorists, etc. etc.).

   As I’ve said before, Terrorism is simultaneously the term that means nothing and justifies everything. That’s why such strong emotions are evoked when it is used in a way that deviates from mandated orthodoxies. It’s a meaningless term, but incredibly (perhaps incomparably) significant in governing how power and violence can be wielded and against whom.

   Glenn Greenwald, Iran and the Terrorism game (via insaniyat)

   (via insaniyat)

• ∞
• / 15.1.2012 /
• 78 ♥ /
1. deepinsideagency liked this
2. parkstepp reblogged this from lifting-of-the-veil
3. humanformat reblogged this from lifting-of-the-veil
4. lifting-of-the-veil reblogged this from socialuprooting
5. tsfixe reblogged this from somerset
6. ronronnement reblogged this from socialuprooting
7. self-absorbed-prick reblogged this from socialuprooting
8. ronronnement liked this
9. maggieblueberry reblogged this from macguffin
10. oh-how-cute liked this
11. macguffin reblogged this from swintons
12. trenchantashell liked this
13. awritersruminations liked this
14. earlyfrost reblogged this from aubades
15. maddy44 reblogged this from inkdot
16. formerlyvonnegutandcathair liked this
17. eschatologically liked this
18. nottambuli liked this
19. swintons reblogged this from aubades
20. aubades reblogged this from somerset
21. infiniteloope liked this
22. concertinahero reblogged this from inkdot and added:

    I have generally been staying away from Srs Bzns on Tumblr and other fannish outlets lately, but this is oddly timely...

23. kelseyadair reblogged this from somerset
24. puppiesbutnotreally liked this
25. grumplstiltskin liked this
26. inkdot reblogged this from somerset
27. otteukke reblogged this from luxuryailments
28. bricorama liked this
29. omerm reblogged this from insaniyat
30. luxuryailments reblogged this from somerset
31. luxuryailments liked this
32. somerset reblogged this from insaniyat
33. beautifuljustice reblogged this from socialuprooting
34. kingby30 liked this
35. insaniyat reblogged this from socialuprooting and added:

    Glenn Greenwald,

36. pragmatichominid reblogged this from socialuprooting
37. autentico-decadente liked this
38. calvin227 liked this
39. skaterboytae reblogged this from socialuprooting
40. skaterboytae liked this
41. red-dumpling reblogged this from socialuprooting
42. cultivatinggrace liked this
43. missgingerlee liked this
44. prolegeoisie reblogged this from socialuprooting
45. djalykhan liked this
46. rustandstardust1 liked this
47. amydentata liked this
48. pragmatichominid liked this
49. cocaincadence reblogged this from socialuprooting
50. Show more notesLoading...